What a refund usually means
When a firm says a fee is refundable, it normally means the fee comes back with a later payout once you meet conditions. Until then the money is spent. If you breach before the conditions are met, the refund never happens. A fair cost model treats the refund as a possible future credit with a probability, not as a reduction in the price.
FundedNext's refundable fee
FundedNext's Stellar 2-Step article says the challenge purchase or reset price is refunded as a Refundable Fee. You may request it with your first Performance Reward from the funded account. So the path is: pass both phases, complete KYC, receive a funded account, earn a reward and then request. A trader who passes but does not earn a reward does not receive the fee back. A 150% Reward add-on changes the amount. On passing, you receive 150% of the subscription fee as a Refundable Fee at the time of your first or third reward, which means a larger credit later for a higher cost now.
Conditions around the refund
The article notes that the refundable fee can be requested with the first reward, and that KYC must be approved within 30 days of passing or the account can be deactivated. It also states that resets are available only before you hold a funded account. Each of these affects whether you ever reach the refund.
Resets and remaining time
The Trading Pit sells resets as many times as you wish. A reset gives a fresh account and keeps the days remaining from the original 30-day challenge, so a reset five days in leaves 25 days. A reset fee is a new cost, and the page read did not describe a refund of it. Read the terms of any reset for refund treatment separately.
Counting a refund in a cost model
Let F be the fee, p the probability of reaching the refund and R the refund amount. The expected net cost is F minus p times R, for one attempt. If F is 300 dollars, R is 300 and p is 0.2, the expected net cost is 240 dollars. If the strategy needs three attempts on average and each fee is refundable only once, the refund covers one fee at most. Compute from your own replay.
What a refund does not mean
It does not mean the program is free, that every trader gets the money back or that the refund is paid before you reach a payout. It also does not apply if a rule breach ends the funded account before the first reward. Read each condition in the article for your plan and date.
Questions to ask
When is the refund paid and from which payout? Does it apply to resets and add-ons? What happens if the account is closed before the first reward? Are there country exclusions? Some firms exclude certain countries from related bonuses, and FundedNext says the 15% reward from the challenge is not available to US traders. Save the answer with its date.
Where to go next
For a budget method, see how to budget fees and resets. For a firm-by-firm cost table, see the challenge costs comparison.
A worked example with attempts
A trader pays 300 dollars, breaches, resets for 150, breaches again, resets for 150 and then passes and reaches a first reward. Total spent is 600 dollars. If only the last fee is refundable, the credit is at most 150 to 300 dollars depending on the terms, and the net cost remains well above zero. Read whether each reset adds to the refundable amount, since the article for your plan may say so.
Why timing matters
A refund that arrives with the first reward may come weeks or months after the purchase. During that time the money is unavailable, which is a real cost if you have other uses for it. Include the delay in your plan, and do not budget the refund against any bill that is due earlier.
How this was sourced
Official material checked for this draft on 2026-10-27. Product terms, residence eligibility, promotions, payout rules and fees can change. Reverify before publishing or purchasing.
Editorial disclosure
QuantProp has no verified commercial relationship with the firm(s) discussed in this article. This is an independently drafted rules comparison, not an endorsement or proof of payout reliability. No affiliate links are active. Trading evaluations can involve fees and substantial loss or failure risk.
Revision log
2026-10-28: imported from the editorial pack dated 2026-10-27; approved for publication by the owner. Facts are as of 2026-10-27 and were not independently tested. 2026-10-28: Rewritten from a 231-word stub. Added FundedNext's refundable fee mechanics and add-ons read on 2026-10-28, The Trading Pit's reset terms, a conditional-credit method and Q&A. Removed a sentence using a prohibited claim word.
Frequently asked questions
Are prop firm challenge fees refundable?
At FundedNext the fee is described as a Refundable Fee that can be requested with your first Performance Reward from the funded account. Until then the fee is spent, and a breach before that point ends the refund.
What is the FundedNext 150% Reward add-on?
On passing the challenge you receive 150% of the subscription fee as a Refundable Fee at the time of your first or third reward, in exchange for a higher cost at purchase.
Do resets give a refund?
The pages read did not describe a refund for resets. At FundedNext the reset price is described as part of the refundable fee, and The Trading Pit sells resets that keep remaining days. Check the terms for your plan.
How should I count a refund in my budget?
As a conditional credit. Expected net cost per attempt is the fee minus the probability of reaching the refund times the refund amount.
Does the refund apply in every country?
Not necessarily. FundedNext states the 15% reward from the challenge is not available to US traders, and other terms may differ by country. Ask for a written answer.